It Was Fate
by ThisDecadence
Summary: I know that life was unfair and fate was cruel.  I also know that fate wasn’t always like that.  I mean it was fate that had brought us together.  It had brought us together just as easily as it torn us apart. SS.  Reviews loved
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

They tell me life is unfair and I respond with a sad smile, a quick nod and say "Yes, you're right. Thank you." They tell me fate was cruel and again I muster a smile, a swift head bob and whisper, "You're right." I already knew that though. I know that life was unfair and fate was cruel. I also know that fate wasn't always cruel. I mean it was fate that had brought us together. It had brought us together just as easily as it torn us apart.

We weren't like other couples who met because they lived next door to one another, or their parents were friends and so we would be. Heck, we didn't even live in the same neighborhood. We had absolutely nothing in common except for one thing, we both went to Tomoeda Middle School and we were both in the same 5th grade class. For some odd reason, perhaps it was fate, we became friends.

_5 years later_

It was a chilly morning of December of our sophomore year and Tomoyo and I were walking to school. We both walked in silence mulling over our own thoughts.

"Guess who asked my out last night," I said suddenly. Tomoyo turned to me and I saw in her eyes a glint of surprise which relaxed into a large grin.

"Who?" She asked.

"Makoto." I replied. It grew quiet and I could see her smile fade and shrink. It was a sad attempt to of a smile now, but I ignored it.

"What about him?"

I turn around and there walking behind us was Syoaran with his permanent crooked grin underneath this brown eyes. I hadn't even heard him approaching us.

Tomoyo said quickly "Nothing."

"Mokoto asked me out." I repeated. Suddenly the atmosphere grew extremely awkward as the quietness swept over all three of us. I turned to Tomoyo hoping that she would say something but she was looking the other direction.

"Oh," Syaoran said finally. "What did you say?" I saw from the corner of my peripheral vision that Tomoyo's head had turned to look at me. Syaoran was also looking at me. I could feel the blush rise in my cheeks.

"I told him that I would think about it." I said quickly.

"I think you should tell him 'no'" Syaoran said. His body was turned away from me and I couldn't see his expression. "I mean you hardly even know the guy. For all you know he could be one of those guys who just use their girlfriends."

His voice continued on. I tried not to listen but my mind was so used to focusing on his voice that my entire attention was still on him.

We had now reached the parking lot of the school and Syaoran quickly lengthed his already long stride and left me and Tomoyo behind.

"That's weird. I mean his locker is in the same hallway as us." I muttered. Silence fell over again as I pulled open the door to our school and we stepped inside. The warmth welcomed us as I slowly unraveled my scarf and headed towards my locker. Tomoyo did the same, but soon met me again by my locker. She stood there silently, so I started to walk in the general direction of my first class. She followed beside me, eyes downcast, and her face looked contorted as though trying to solve a hard math problem.

"Sakura," Tomoyo said, her soft voice seem to float above all other din from the other students. I turned to face her. "As much as I think you are the best friend anyone could ever have, I must say, you are the most clueless person I have ever met." And with those words said, she hurried down the hall towards her first class. I stared at her briefly with the most confused expression and walked into the classroom just as the first bell rang.

All day during class I had pondered on both Syaoran's odd behavior and Tomoyo's strange statement. Finally the bell rang and I flew out of the room and to my locker. There I found Tomoyo as well, her own locker only a few down from mine. When we both had gathered our books and homework we slipped out the school's large doors and began our walk home. I wondered where Syaoran.

"What did you mean this morning?" I asked Tomoyo quietly. I could see the King Penguin slide and the swing sets as we passed by Penguin Park. The laughter of toddlers filled the air making it hard to hear, somehow, though, I knew Tomoyo had heard me.

"Don't you notice?" She asked her eyes looked directly at mine. I raised an eyebrow and slowed my walk. "How he looks at you? How he always tries to impress you?"

She continued to rant until I interrupted her with a "who?"

"Syaoran, of course! I mean he has had a crush on you since 7th grade! You'd think you would notice!"

"Syaoran, has a crush on … me?" I was not sure how to respond. I had never even noticed how he looked at me. Perhaps this was just a joke, and soon Tomoyo would stop and say she was kidding and we would laugh. The laughter never came though. She was silent now and the only feeling I could name would be confusion.

"Geez. The poor guy would do anything for you." Tomoyo sighed.

"Anything?" I was completely confused now. How could I not have known? Was I truly that clueless?

"Ask him anything and he will do it. I am positive." Suddenly her serious expression was broken by another one of her shocking smiles. "I am glad that is off my chest. It was really bugging me." My house was in seeing distance now and I was almost glad. I needed sometime by myself to think this over.

I hastily murmured my 'goodbyes' and breezed through my house to my room, not even having time to say hello to my father or brother. I tossed my backpack into the corner and threw myself onto my bed. I stared out the window for a good ten minutes until finally I said with a frown, "anything?…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

My cell phone's shrill ring awoke me the next morning. With my eyes still shut, I reached blindly towards my nightstand attempting to locate the source of what had not allowed me to sleep longer. Finally, my hand hit it but instead of finding it safe in my grasp, it skidded across the table and landed on the pink fluffy floor.

"Fine, I'm up. I'm up," I muttered to no one in particular. I opened my eyes, blinking and having to squint from the change of the sleepy darkness behind my eyelids to the bright sunshine that gracefully streamed across my room from the window. I slid out from my warm covers and found my phone, hiding nicely under my bed.

_1 missed call _and a voicemail. I flicked the cover of my phone open, lazily punched in my password and listened to the voicemail, not even checking who called.

"Hey Sakura, it is Tomoyo. I am guessing you are still sleeping and I am sorry to have woken you up but I am calling to tell you that unfortunately I can't walk to school with you today since I have to meet with a teacher before school. I forgot to tell you yesterday." She giggled as though it was funny to wake me up. Staring at the clock with half closed eyes, it read that it was only 6:50am. Class started at 8. "Anyway, I told Syaoran that as well so he will probably walk with you today. I told him to meet you at your house at 7:30, you know, just so that you won't be late to school as you often are. See you in English!" And the sound of the phone clicking off was heard. I softly shut the phone and placed it in my backpack which was slumped in the far corner.

I was awake now and most likely wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. I shrugged my shoulders at the inconvenience of losing sleep but quickly got dressed anyway and marched to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth and pulling my auburn hair back into a loose ponytail I skipped down the stairs following the aroma of my father's cooking.

Soon it was 7:30 and I heard the doorbell ring from the table.

"Thanks for breakfast, Dad!" I said before grapping my backpack and swinging onto my back, and opening the front door. There stood Syaoran turned to the side staring at the ground. His cheeks were pink from the cold and his messy hair blew from side to side because of the delicate December morning breeze.

"Hey, Syaoran!" I smiled happily as my green eyes met his brown ones.

"Hey," he replied with another one of his crooked grins. I felt my cheeks, which were once cold from the air, warm up instantly. I closed the door to my house and took my place beside him as we jumped off the steps that led to my house and turned towards the sidewalk that led to our school.

"So, I was planning on going to the movie theater after school to see that new movie and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me." Syaoran's voice broke the calming silence that had engulfed us strangely this morning.

"As friends?" I asked.

"Whatever you want."

"You know I could never say no to you, Syaoran." I turned to look at him and I saw his eyes shift downwards and I swear I saw his cheeks turn pinker.

"Great, so I'll see you after school," he responded. I nodded and we continued the rest of our walk in silence, but for some reason it was no longer uncomfortable.

School passed quickly that day and before I knew it, I was standing outside of my school staring at the other students that passed me in a haste, trying to get home or wherever they needed to be, and away from the school's clutches that held us all day.

I had earlier spilled the news to Tomoyo about Syaoran and my 'date as friends' and her face had brightened so suddenly that I could still see it when I closed my eyes. Unfortunately that also meant that I had to turn down Makoto. I guess I didn't have to since Syaoran and I weren't going as a couple but as friends, but something just told me that I should do so. After I explained to him that I didn't want to go out with him, I could feel the angry stares from both him and his friends all day afterwards.

"Ready?" I turned around and Syaoran was there, a slanted smirk pasted on his face looking at me.

"Yup." We had arrived quickly to the movie theaters, and the movie ended just as fast. I couldn't have told you what the movie was about if you had asked me, because honestly, I hadn't been paying attention to the screen at all, but to the person who sat next to me. You want to know a secret? I think Syaoran wasn't paying attention to the movie either.

We had decided to head to Syaoran's house, or rather mansion, since it was only 5:30. I had been to his house plenty of times but something about this time felt different. I was more aware of everything. Every move I made. Every move he made.

He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket along with lighter and lit the cigarette and then inhaling the sweet nicotine. I hated it when he smoked. He somehow picked up the habit freshmen year and wasn't able to stop, but then again that is why they call it an addiction.

For some reason Tomoyo's words echoed throughout my skull, "Ask him anything, and he will do it." I took a deep breath but instead of fresh air I had accidently inhaled a large lungful of secondhand smoke. I coughed slightly and wrinkled my nose at the bad smell.

"You okay?" Syaoran's head was turned towards mine and I felt a blush appear again.

"No, I'm --." Tomoyo's words flew through my head again. If he really liked me…

"I just don't like the smell of cigarettes." I didn't know if he got the hint or not so I added, "I personally think it's kinda gross."

He step faltered slightly and he was now behind me. I heard the hiss of the still new cigarette being put out and for some reason I couldn't help but smile. He did like me. The question was, did I return the feeling.

We reached his house and opened the gate that led to his garden. I loved this place and he knew it. The winter sun had already disappeared behind the clouds and it was dark out but the whole garden was filled with the soft brightness of the garden lights. Syaoran turned around to face me and me being clumsy tripped over one of the garden slates and flew straight into chest causing him to lose balance and fall over backwards.

Now it was awkward. He was flat on his back lying on the dried grass and I was directly on top of him. We just stayed like that, mesmerized by the each other's eyes and high off the feeling of how close we were. Slowly he lifted his head so that his lips landed on mine giving but both taking my first kiss. I couldn't pull away even if I wanted to. My arms embraced his shoulders while his were around mine. We stayed like that as our kiss deepened until finally we broke apart panting loudly for air. I rolled over off of his chest and together we lay on the cold ground relying on each other to stay warm.

That was the beginning of our relationship. For months we did everything together. As spring came we lay under that tree that we had the first night and kissed until I was so light-headed with the feeling of being high that he had to stop. We held hands as we walked to class, and as we walked home. He was in love with me, but I… I wasn't sure how I felt.

It was April now and again we lay under the tree staring out across his garden. We were calmly sitting down and I was slowly trailing gentle kisses along his jaw line, my arm placed against the opposite cheek. He turned his head and met my lips as we again went into another deep kiss. Finally we broke apart.

"I hate those girls that think that you are theirs," I muttered bitterly. I had no clue where that thought had come from, yet I continued. "And you don't even seem to mind."

"I mind, and I've told them to go away, but they don't listen," he responded.

"The smirk on your face says otherwise," I continued.

"Aww , come on, you know I'll always be yours."

"I love you and I just don't want to lose you," I said quietly. I suddenly realized that that was the first time I had ever told him that. He noticed too.

"Say that again," he requested gently but firmly.

"I love you." I turned to face him and the realization swept over me that I did. I did really love him. I had never tried to identify those feelings and now that I had everything was falling into place.

"I love you too." He said and again pulled me into another kiss. This was one was short though and he pushed us apart and asked, "There is a party this weekend. A friend on Eriol's is hosting it. You want to go with me?"

My father was out of town this weekend so I didn't see why I couldn't.

If I had known then, what I know now, I would have quickly and persistently replied"no". He would listen, after all Syaoran always did. It was almost as if he couldn't say "no" to me. However, I was naïve then. I remember nodding and saying yes, and seeing the smile that he gave me. It was so sweet and almost innocent that now when I pull that image and play it in my mind it makes me sick to know what was awaiting us in the future.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

It was the night of the party. I was sitting in my family room awaiting the arrival of Syaoran. I had spent a while getting ready for I wanted tonight to go well. He arrived punctually at 6:30. I told Touya that we were going to hang out at a friend's house and then together Syaoran and I set off. The walk wasn't far and neither of had our driver's license yet so we had no other choice. The weather was pleasant that night and it made the stroll almost romantic.

We arrived shortly after 7:00 and as we walked into the house, the noise and excitement quickly overwhelmed me. A guy, who looked around eighteen and who I didn't recognize walked over to us. He raised his arm and in his hand was two cans of Budweiser.

"Want one?" He asked politely. Syaoran grabbed a beer and the guy held out the other beer to me.

"No thanks," I responded nervously. The man looked at me oddly but shrugged and snapped open the tab of the can and took a swig. Syaoran mimicked him.

Leaning over to Syaoran's shoulder, which was much higher than mine, I whispered accusingly, "You didn't tell me they had alcohol here."

He shrugged and replied, "I didn't know." And with that he took another gulp. I slowly scanned the room and caught sight of Tomoyo who I didn't realize was going to be here. She was grinding with Eriol. I had known for a long time that she had a crush on that boy, and I was happy for her, but right now I was just happy to see someone else that I knew.

"I'm gonna go see Tomoyo," I told Syaoran.

"Okay," was his response and we walked off in opposite directions.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo said happily. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't know _you_ were coming!" I responded but lacking the same amount of happiness. I was kind of worried about the amount of chaos that was floating around.

We chatted for a while about mostly nothing, although we did talk about Syaoran and how I hated the fact that girls thrived to get attention from him. I stole a glimpse of my watch which said it was already 8:00. I glanced around the room looking for Syaoran. Finally, I spotted him, sitting in a chair with a group of girls surrounding him, obviously flirting. Tomoyo had followed my gaze. I scowled at Syaoran, and just as I did, his eyes meet mine.

Suddenly, Eriol had come back over and asked Tomoyo to dance again. She gave me a 'I'm sorry' glance and headed back into the large mass of people who were dances. I just stood there awkwardly sighing and staring around, when a pair of arms snaked their way around my waist. I didn't need to look to know who is was.

"Hey," his deep voice murmured as he nuzzled my neck. I said nothing, still angry at him.

He sighed and said, "I'm really turned on right now." I could smell the intense aroma of beer that lingered around his hot breath.

I slipped out of his grasp, faced him and said resentfully leaning my head in the direction of the girls he had been hanging out with, "I'm sure one of your friends over there will gladly let you fuck them." With that, I spun around to head towards the door but Syaoran's hand shot out and held my wrist pulling me back so that I was pressed against him and his head was bent and resting on my shoulder.

"I don't want anyone else," He said it in such a somber tone that if I couldn't smell the thickness of beer that drenched around him, I would of thought he was completely sober. We stayed in that position for a few seconds until he pulled me into a kiss. It was deep, as if I was feeling all of his emotions at once. The mix of that, and the alcohol that lingered was making me dizzy. I pulled away from his kiss and taking hold of his arm, led him to the door.

"You're drunk. Let's go," I was pissed and although those words and that kiss had softened me up, not to mention make me light-headed, I could still feel the anger threatening to get loose. He did not protest at my demand and let himself be led.

I didn't want to take him home yet cause who knows what his parents would think. I also knew that at this point he couldn't go to sleep either for risk of choking if and when he threw up. Instead I led him to Penguin Park, just to walk, walk and so I could sort out all that I felt for him.

We made it to the park slowly, as he could not walk very fast or straight, now that I think of it. In his drunken stupor kept mumbling incomprehensible words, if even that. He stopped a few times to throw up much to my disgust; I was still there, saying words of comfort until his sickness passed.

We had just reached the swing set when I heard something, and it wasn't Syaoran, who was telling me that he could sense that I was mad at him and was profusely apologizing drunkenly. All I remember was feeling a bandana drenched with a foul smelling substance cover my mouth, and my world going black.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

I jolted awake only to find myself in a dimly lit, large, cluttered room. I was sitting in a chair with my arms tied around the chair behind my back and my legs were bond around the legs of the chair and another rope surrounded my middle, restricting my breathing. A mouth gag was tied forcefully around my head and in my mouth so that I could not speak. I had a splitting headache which made it hard to focus. Syaoran was placed slightly in front of me yet still beside me, already awake and in the same situation as I was. He struggled against the thin but strong rope that restricted our limbs. I had no idea how he had come to consciousness before I had, since he had been mad drunk before we were kidnapped.

Kidnapped. That word suddenly brought me to my senses and caused my heart to rapidly increase its rhythmic pounding. I too began to thrash about against the restraints.

"We had only wanted the girl but to discover that we also had a Li in our clutches was an even pleasanter surprise," a voice rang out against the large room. A figure emerged from the shadows and stood in front of us. Both Syaoran and I simultaneously stopped moving. I could not see his face for he wore a ski mask. Another man approached, shorter than the first, also sporting a ski mask, and stood by his side.

"Indeed," he said bobbing his head up and down in a nod.

The man who had spoken first stretched out his arm and softly began to stroke my cheek with the back of forefinger. Syaoran's eyes were glued to that man's hand. I tried to pull away but he roughly pulled my head back to center. I could hear a low growl from Syaoran and as I looked towards his hands I could see that he had somehow managed to loosen the knot of the rope.

"Such a pretty thing," the taller man mumbled. "It is too bad that you are in such peril right now."

The shorter one stepped forward and began to speak to me.

"Except your family is the reason why our parents are dead! I remember the day all too well. Your father was speeding, something about trying to get to the hospital for your poor, sick mother." He dragged on the 'poor' and 'sick' as though attempting to mock her. "Well guess what, your mother never made it to the hospital and our never came home. Your asshole of father crashed headfirst into our father's car, killing him instantly. Our mother couldn't cope with the lost and killed herself. She fucking KILLED herself! Your father only lost one life, but we had to lose two, so we are here to settle up the score." He smirked at the last word sentence, and I could feel a shot of fear shoot throw my veins.

The atmosphere changed suddenly as the taller one who was behind, shoved his brother aside and pulled out a pocket knife and held it against my throat. Syaoran shouted but his voice was quieted by the gag. I could feel the cold blade touch my skin and the man slowly pressed a little deeper causing a small cut. I cried as I felt the blood slowly curved its way down my neck before dripping off and landing in my lap.

"First we'll have a little fun, shall we? You know before I kill you." His brother nodded eagerly. "And your little boyfriend can watch." Together to two pulled me forward and turned me around so that I was facing Syaoran.

The two siblings moved away from us, whispering words that I could not hear. Finally one of them left and the other turned towards me with a maniacal grin that was so large, I could not see the corners due to the ski mask. He reached his hand out and stroked my face like the other one and I could feel his other hand slowly slide its way down my chest until it played with the button my jeans. He untied the rope that strapped me to the chair, so now only my feet were tied to it and my hands were bound together.

I was facing Syaoran while the man's back was towards him. I stared at nothing but Syaoran's eyes, pleading.

Now the man had undone my jeans and his filthy hands had was fingering with the waist of my underwear. I was shaking, and silent sobs wracked my small figure.

Suddenly I saw Syaoran's hands shoot forward. He had somehow managed to undo the rope around his hands and around his chest. He quietly was now undoing the thick knot that held his legs securely to the chair.

My kidnapper was now having fun and his hands slipped up my shirt. The next thing I knew Syaoran was standing above him with his folded metal chair raised above his head and with a satisfying _bang_ the chair made contact with the captor's head and he fell promptly to the ground.

Syaoran's head snapped around looking for where our stuff was. Finding it on the far table he grabbed my bag and whisked out my phone where he dialed 911 as he tore of his gag, and I heard him curse as he was put on hold on the other end. Finally his deep voice was heard talking to some unknown operator. He spoke of our situation and described our odd surroundings until finally he snapped the phone shut.

He walked over to me rapidly and caressed my jaw bone and spoke tender words of comfort as he began to undo my gag.

I remember seeing the shadow of the other man appear out of nowhere behind Syaoran. I remember seeing the baseball bat that he grasped around his grubby fingers. I remember squirming trying to speak but the gag prevented me from doing so, and as it finally fell off, I shouted, "behind you." I remember as Syaoran's head turned to look back, and his skull met the steel bat in mid swing… and I remember the sickening sound it made.

My screams rang out as his body flew behind me and I could not see him for I was still in the chair. The remaining kidnapper was retying the gag to muffle my screams and although he did so, my cries were not silenced, merely softened.

Without warning six policemen with armed guns raised ran into the room pointing their guns at my captor. Their shouts of law enforcement overcame my cries but I still could not stop. Both men were awake now and they were trying to get away. I heard the explosions of guns and I saw one fall but the other was escaping with police at his heels.

Paramedics with stretchers ready ran in and I saw some of them rush towards Syaoran as others ran towards me. As soon as I was cut loose from my restraints I stood up receiving a head rush in the process and turning towards Syaoran. The calm voices of the paramedics telling me to remain sitting were quickly lost as my eyes connected to Syaoran's body. He was lying in a heap, facing away from me, with his head surrounded by a crimson pool of blood. That is all I remember because then I met face to face with darkness and my world swirled into nothing.


End file.
